The present invention relates to hospital beds and patient support systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to hospital beds and patient support systems adapted for use with open geometry imaging systems.
Hospitals and other patient care facilities often dedicate rooms to house imaging systems. The systems are typically fixed in space and require movement of the patient to the dedicated room for each imaging procedure. Also, the imaging system often contains a couch or other surface that supports the patient during the imaging procedure. This arrangement requires transferring the patient from a hospital bed to the fixed support of the imaging system.
Recent advances in imaging technology have allowed for the development of mobile, open geometry imaging systems such as mobile CT and fluoroscopy imaging units. Mobile C-arm imaging units provide examples of these systems. A C-arm imaging system is a real-time fluoroscope frequently used to image a patient""s chest or head areas. The imaging system derives its name from the arcuate main arm that supports the imaging components. An x-ray tube is positioned at one end of the arm, and an image receiver is positioned at the opposite end of the arm. The unit does not contain an integrated patient support. Rather, the entire imaging apparatus is mounted on a mobile base which allows the imager to be moved to the patient for imaging procedures.
Some mobile C-arm units contain a single C-arm and have imaging components that are relatively small compared to the size of the C-arm. This arrangement facilitates movement of the mobile system. U. S. Pat. No. 6,131,690 to Galando et al. for a MOTORIZED SUPPORT FOR IMAGING MEANS provides an example of this type of unit. Other units, however, contain multiple C-arms and/or have bulky imaging components. While these units are mobile, the complex configurations of these units can make it difficult to navigate the imagers around obstacles, such as hospital beds. U. S. Pat. No. 6,104,780 to Hanover, et al. for a MOBILE BI-PLANAR FLUOROSCOPIC IMAGING APPARATUS provides an example of this type of unit.
A major advantage provided by mobile imaging systems is the ability to bring the imager to the patient, rather than the opposite arrangement, which is the case with traditional imaging equipment. This requires that some type of patient support be available for use with the mobile imager. Adding a patient support to a mobile unit may, however, hinder its mobility. Consequently, hospital beds that allow positioning of mobile imaging systems around the bed for easy access to the patient during imaging procedures will be necessary for the successful integration of mobile imaging systems into hospitals and other patient care facilities. Such hospital beds will further the modern trend of keeping patients on a single support throughout a stay in the patient care facility. Further, such beds will increase the overall efficiency of patient care. Ideally, the new hospital beds will retain all of the benefits of traditional hospital beds while allowing the desired access by a variety of mobile imaging systems, including those that incorporate multiple C-arms and bulky imaging components.
There have been previous attempts to provide a hospital bed that solve the problems mentioned above. U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,946 to Foster et al. for a HOSPITAL BED ADAPTED FOR USE WITH A C-ARM is exemplary of these attempts. The structure disclosed in this reference still requires navigation of the mobile C-arm unit about the base of the hospital bed. In addition, the Y-shaped base of the hospital bed may not accommodate some of the larger and bulkier C-arm units, such as the apparatus taught by Hanover, et al. Also, when the simultaneous use of multiple C-arm or other imaging units is necessary or desired for a single imaging procedure, the bed disclosed by Foster et al. will preclude such arrangements. Furthermore, the structure of the hospital bed taught by Foster et al. may lead to imaging artifacts because the base of the bed remains near the patient support surface and imaging components during operation of the imaging system.
The present invention provides a hospital bed and patient support system that are adapted for use with mobile open geometry imaging systems. In part, the invention provides a bed that can be used as the main patient support during a stay in a patient care facility. The bed retains the benefits of traditional hospital beds, such as comfort to the patient, the ability to select among multiple positions, and features for ensuring retention of the patient in the bed.
The invention also provides adaptations making the bed and support system compatible with open geometry imaging systems, especially mobile C-arm imaging units. In this sense, compatibility primarily refers to two features of the invention. First, the bed and support system are able to position a patient such that the bed or support system does not prohibit access by the imaging unit. Second, the bed and patient support system include a surface that is substantially radiotransparent, ensuring that the bed or support system does not interfere with the imaging process.
In one preferred embodiment, a hospital bed according to the present invention comprises a mobile base, a bed frame, an elongated bed top supported by the frame, and a patient support disposed on the bed top. The bed top has a main section and at least one lateral section. The main section is capable of axial displacement between an initial position and at least one extended position along its lengthwise axis. The lateral section is capable of selective movement away from the main section, which allows for a selective reduction of the width of the bed. The patient support has a first portion similar in shape to the main section of the bed top and at least one second portion similar in shape to the lateral section. At least the bed top and patient support are comprised of substantially radiotransparent materials.
In a second preferred embodiment, a patient support system is provided. The patient support system is similar to the hospital bed in the sense that it retains features of traditional hospital beds, has substantially radiotransparent components, and is adapted for use with mobile imaging systems. In the patient support system, however, the bed top and patient support are detachable from the bed frame. In this manner, the base and frame effectively serve as a docking station for the bed top and patient support. Thus, the bed top and patient support can be used to support a patient independent of the remainder of the bed. In one application, the bed top and patient support can be used as a stretcher in a critical care vehicle. When necessary or desired, the stretcher can be secured to the frame, thereby placing the patient on a complete hospital bed.
While the present invention is particularly well adapted for use with mobile, open geometry imaging systems, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular application.